The life and times of a pituitary Cushing's survivor (1987) AND a kidney cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma) survivor (2006). I must be a Super-Woman...NOT!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

It's Almost Endo Time Again

This Thursday I go back to Johns Hopkins for my annual post-Cushing's checkup. I used to go twice a year when I was on growth hormone but thanks to the cancer I can't take GH anymore.

I hope to have the courage to ask my endo for a script for Provigil. Dr. Dori mentioned it to me before an online interview and it sounds like something that would work for me.

But I don't know, if I get the script, if my kidney surgeon would let me take it. He's very protective of my one remaining kidney. I still wonder, though. If I took one pill, how much kidney "life" would I lose. Would it be worthwhile to gain a day of wakefulness and energy to lose an hour of kidney time?

At this stage of my life, I think that the trade off would be worthwhile. Of course, that's easy to say now. I'd probably feel different if I were undergoing dialysis!

But my endo might not even prescribe it so this may all be a wasted argument, even with myself.

About Me

I am a Cushing's patient who has dealt with Cushing's symptoms since 1983 (or earlier) and the aftereffects of pituitary surgery since 1987.

Because I had very little support for my symptoms, diagnosis and surgery, I decided to try to make things a little better for other patients and started a support site called Cushing's Help and Support in 2000. The site has grown to astronomical numbers. This disease isn't as rare as doctors have told us!

In 2006, I was also diagnosed with kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma). My left kidney and adrenal gland were removed. Having an adrenal gland removed complicates my post-Cushing's symptoms.